2009 Q2 Newsletters

June 2009 Member Email (Sent June 25, 2009)

Dear Whole Grains Council members,

With summer just a few days old, the WGC already has its sights set on programs for this autumn, especially September (Whole Grains Month) and October. Make sure your company benefits, by taking part - be sure to check out all the details below. 

WHOLE GRAINS MAKEOVER CONTEST
September is Whole Grains Month, and as the centerpiece of our 2009 celebration, we're running a major national contest called "The Great Whole Grains Makeover." This contest is designed to encourage consumers to invite more whole grains into their lives. We're asking consumers to look for products with the Whole Grain Stamp, and send us a photo of themselves enjoying that product - with, of course, extra points for using creativity to make whole grains look especially delicious and fun.

Our prizes are designed to help the winners get to the next step with whole grains, whether they're just starting the switch or are already well on their way. We'll be selecting 48 winners, to emphasis our daily need for 48g or more of whole grains. All 48 winners will receive a selection of whole grain products to enjoy. Two runners-up will also receive a library of whole grain cookbooks, full of easy and delicious recipes. And our Grand Winner will receive a personalized Whole Grain Makeover, when we fly a leading chef to their home to cook a week's worth of delicious dinners for the whole family.

Here's how YOU can get involved, as a WGC member:

1. Contribute your products as prizes for our 48 winners. All prizes will be featured on the contest website.
2. Promote the contest on your company website, with a link to our entry form on the WGC contest website. This will HUGELY increase the chances that your products will be featured in photos posted on our website by contestants nationwide.

Email Cynthia Harriman NOW or call her at 603-436-1608 if you'd like to contribute prizes and link to our contest website (we'll link starting in mid-August). Our goal with this contest is to draw positive attention to the Whole Grain Stamp, now being used on more than 2,700 products in eight countries.

SEND US YOUR WHOLE GRAIN VIDEOS
Another way we'll be drawing consumers' attention to Whole Grains Month is by airing one new whole grains video every day in the month of September. Yes, that's 30 separate videos, so we're casting our net wide, looking for an excellent pool of videos from which to choose the very best.

If you would like to create a short video for our collection, nominate something existing from your company, or share something great you saw on YouTube, send a link for your video to cynthia@oldwayspt.org. Our top choices will 1) show whole grains are delicious 2) be appealing, fun, and just a few minutes long 3) be largely non-commercial.

Keep in mind that we won't be able to include ALL videos submitted, as we're aiming for a good mix of grains, recipes, and fun facts to be represented.

FRESH WHOLE GRAIN CONTENT FOR YOUR WEBSITE  
We want to help you "dress up" your website for Whole Grains Month. We can't do the programming for you - but we can supply some content options. We're creating a few different options, such as an FAQ on whole grains (available now), and a page of "Whole Grain Myths & Truths" (coming soon) which you can find in the For Members section of our website under Get Support Materials.

Don't forgot: Now's the time to be planning your own promotions for Whole Grains Month, to complement those from the WGC. Will you be offering special coupons or discounts or special website promotions of your own? When all of us together provide a steady drum-beat of communications about whole grains at the same time, we'll reach consumers with a much stronger, clearer message.

3rd ANNUAL WG CHALLENGE FOR FOODSERVICE
Every year we run a foodservice contest called the Whole Grains Challenge, to reward dining outlets that serve at least one whole grain option every day for a month. We choose national winners in ten different categories, from Fine Dining and Quick Serve to Schools and Workplace - and those winners could be your foodservice customers.

You can get involved, and gain extra visibility by:

1. Printing out our Case Insert about the Challenge, and slipping it into shipments to your foodservice accounts.
2. Contributing your foodservice products as prizes.

Click here to download our attractive Whole Grains Challenge Case Insert (832K PDF), then call Kara Berrini (617-896-4880) to contribute prizes.

Want more info? Click here for details about last year's winners and prizes.

FASCINATING FACTS ON OUR STATISTICS PAGE  
If you're looking for useful data to incorporate into your media messages, make sure to check out our latest updates on the "WG Statistics" page of the WGC website. Thanks to special partnerships with both NPD Group and Mintel, we've recently updated our statistics on whole grain consumption - up 20% from 2005 to 2008 - and on whole grain new product introductions worldwide - up 27% from 2007 to 2008.

And remember: if you have any company-specific data you'd like to share, which illustrates the momentum of consumer interest in whole grains, we can also post it on this page. For example, "While Neilson data show that pasta sales overall were up 1% in 2008, Acme Corp reported a 17% increase in its whole grain pasta sales." When we've put data like this on our statistics page in the past, we've seen that eager journalists often incorporate them into stories that give you more visibility. Hope we'll hear from you.

Best regards from all of us at Oldways and the Whole Grains Council,

Cindy

------------------------
Cynthia Harriman
Director of Food and Nutrition Strategies
Oldways / The Whole Grains Council
603-436-1608 direct
617-896-4820 main office

May 2009 Member Email (Sent May 28, 2009)

Dear Whole Grains Council members,

In January we reported that Michael Bittel of King Arthur Flour had succeeded Bob Brown of FritoLay as Chairman of the Whole Grains Council.

Today we're pleased to announce two new members of the WGC Board of Directors. Carol Leivonen is Product Developer for Ozery's Pita Break in Toronto. Her knowledge of whole grain formulation issues and her Canadian perspective - at a time when the Whole Grain Stamp is poised to take off in our neighbor to the north - will be great additions to the Board. We also welcome John Gaches, President, CEO, and Owner of Harvest Time Bread, an experienced scratch baker who's well known to many of our members. At the same time, we thank outgoing Board Members Jeff Dahlberg (National Sorghum Producers), Linh Bui (Mars Food US), and Karen Wilder (Schwan Foods) for their valuable service to the Board.

CONFERENCE MATERIALS NOW ONLINE
The WGC's Make (at least!) Half Your Grains Whole conference last month in Alexandria, VA was a big success. Our attendees learned the latest surprising data on whole grain consumption and got updated on the newest whole grain health research... they grasped the potential of social media tools for communicating food messages... gained insight into the challenges faced by schools implementing healthier meals... relished the triumphs of successful whole grain promotions... networked with government policymakers, health professionals, and fellow manufacturers... and even enjoyed a real school lunch!

All conference materials are now online, including

1. A five page "Cliff's Notes" PDF summary of the conference, referencing presentations and handouts for further detail. This is the perfect tool for reviewing the main points of the conference if you attended - or getting up to speed quickly if you didn't.

2. All speakers' PowerPoints, in downloadable PDF format (click to go to the program page, where you'll find them organized by the schedule of the conference)
 
3. A copy of our post-conference press release, which has already resulted in several media articles.
 
4. A link to videos on YouTube from our cooking demonstrations.
 
5. Downloadable PDFs of materials from the conference binder, so that you can easily review them and share them with your colleagues.

An enormous thank you once again to all our conference sponsors: King Arthur Flour, Barilla America, Bimbo Bakeries USA, Bob's Red Mill, Cargill / Horizon Milling, Chartwells School Dining Services, ConAgra Mills, FritoLay, General Mills, Harvest Time Bread, Indian Harvest Specialtifoods, Kellogg's, Mars Food US, McKee / Sunbelt, Roman Meal, Snyder's of Hanover, Sunnyland Mills, United Sorghum Checkoff Board - and to our supporters, Dr. Kracker, Kitchen Resource, Mestemacher Bread, Nature's Path, Rubschlager Baking, and USA Rice Federation.

PLAN NOW FOR WG MONTH IN SEPTEMBER   
Whole Grains Month comes around again - as it does every year - in September. Now is the time to make your plans. If all 226 Whole Grains Council members run special promotions at the same time, we'll capture consumers' attention in a way that is bound to make a difference.

Here are just a few ideas:
Schedule an FSI with discount coupons for whole grain products
Give away WGC buttons and posters (they're free to members - see our website)
Add special whole grain information to your website
Help us promote our Whole Grains Makeover contest

You're on your own for the FSI's - if you do them already, it's just a matter of emphasizing whole grains in September - but we're here to partner with you on the other ideas above. Order your buttons and posters now, to beat the rush... Choose from three ready-made WGC whole grain info modules for your website (they'll be ready by July 1)... And stay tuned in our June newsletter for more details about our exciting Whole Grains Makeover contest for consumers.

WG VIDEOS - WE NEED 30 OF 'EM!
For one of the WGC's own projects for Whole Grains Month, we're planning to offer consumers a whole grain video every single day in September. We'll be reviewing videos for possible inclusion in June and July.

If you would like to create a short video for our collection, nominate something existing from your company, or share something great you saw on YouTube, send a link for your video to cynthia@oldwayspt.org. Our top choices will 1) show whole grains are delicious 2) be appealing, fun, and just a few minutes long 3) be largely non-commercial.

SPECIAL DEALS FOR WGC MEMBERS
We occasionally negotiate special deals for WGC members, and post them on the WGC website in the For Member section. This month there are two discounts posted:

1) 10% discount on Packaged Facts report on grains
Packaged Facts, a leading provider of market research, just released a major report titled "The U.S. Market for Whole and Other Grains: Trends, Statistics and Analysis." This report normally costs $3,300, but Packaged Facts is offering a 10% discount not only on this product but on other reports that may interest you. For full details on how to get your WGC member discount, visit the Packaged Facts website.

2) Help yourself, help the WGC, for Gluten Free Summit
Want a better understanding of the gluten free market, with special emphasis on cooking with gluten free ingredients? The 4th Annual Gluten Free Culinary Summit run by Gluten Free Culinary Productions has become so popular that there will be two locations this year - an East Coast event at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY on September 12-13, and a West Coast event in Denver, at Johnson & Wales, on October 3-4. (Kara will be a speaker in Hyde Park!)

GFCP will donate $15 to the WGC for every day's registration by a WGC member - and will also give WGC members the $10/day Early Bird discount right up until the event. For more details visit  www.theglutenfreelifestyle.com; to sign up and get the special WGC rate, contact Suzanne Bowman 303-368-9990 or info@prchefs.com (discount not available online).

SCHOOL FOODSERVICE RECIPES BY JUNE 10   
Here's an opportunity to promote the use of your products while providing a needed service to school foodservice workers everywhere. The WGC is creating a collection of whole grain recipes for school foodservice, and we welcome members' contributions. If you have kid-friendly recipes scaled for foodservice (not home use), please send them to us.
 
Your whole grain recipes will
a. Inspire school foodservice personnel who are just starting to explore whole grains.
b. Offer everyone new ideas for the 2009-2010 school year.
c. Help convince kids that whole grains can be delicious as well as healthy.

Please make sure your recipe says how many kids it will serve, and that it specifies serving size. Nutrition Facts are not required but are a real plus if you have them. Deadline is Wednesday June 10, as we'll be making this collection available online starting at the School Nutrition Association convention June 29-July 2. Email your recipes to cynthia@oldwayspt.org.

Best regards from all of us at Oldways and the Whole Grains Council,

Cindy
------------------------
Cynthia Harriman
Director of Food and Nutrition Strategies
Oldways / The Whole Grains Council
603-436-1608 direct
617-896-4820 main office

April 2009 Member Email (Sent April 14, 2009)

Dear Whole Grains Council members,

April's member newsletter will be brief, as we're busy putting the finishing touches on the Make (at least!) Half Your Grains Whole Conference in Alexandria, VA, April 20-22. We look forward to seeing many of you there - and to sharing some great new information, afterwards, with those of you who were unable to join us in the DC area.  More details on that, at the end of this newsletter.

CUSTOMER SERVICE DELAYS, WEEK OF APRIL 20-24
Please be aware that, due to the conference next week, WGC staff will not be able to process Product Registration Forms or answer your questions immediately. We appreciate your understanding and will respond as soon after the conference as possible.

WGC PUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Whole grains in schools... in restaurants... for health professionals. The WGC staff has a busy schedule of speaking engagements over the next few months, as we continue to take advantage of every opportunity to spread the word about the delicious taste and many health benefits of whole grains. Here are a few of our upcoming gigs:

• Vermont Dietetic Association - Kara will educate Registered Dietitians in Vermont, at their annual meeting in April.
• Arkansas Child Nutrition Directors - Kara will hold two major workshops, reaching CN directors around the state in May.
• National Restaurant Association - Cynthia will speak at the NRA's annual convention in Chicago in May.
• School Nutrition Association - Cynthia will speak in Las Vegas at the annual meeting of school foodservice directors in July.

At the SNA convention in Las Vegas, we will have the pleasure of working with two of our members: helping with a presentation sponsored by Barilla, and working with Mars Food US on a cooking demonstration. Are you sponsoring a session at a national conference? The WGC can provide an energetic and engaging speaker to enhance your session with solid, third-party information about whole grains. Contact Cynthia Harriman (603-436-1608) to discuss scheduling and custom content for your session.

For public speaking engagements like this - which benefit all our members and the cause of whole grains in general - there is no charge beyond travel expenses. You may be interested to know that WGC staff can also travel to members' companies for internal meetings.  If you're making a major push into whole grains and want to get your team up to speed quickly on the health benefits, marketing potential, etc., we can help. Since this takes our staff away from activities that benefit the membership as a whole, we charge an honorarium of $500/day in addition to travel expenses for member-centered activities like this.

THE WGC DOES ALL THAT???
Sometimes members forget that the WGC does so much more than just the Whole Grain Stamp (or lately -- the Stamp and the Conference!). We're here as a resource for you, day in and day out. In the past month, for instance, here are just a few of the ways we've helped our members:

• Provided one member with contact information on other members selling white wheat.
• Helped another member answer a customer's question on the difference between fiber grams and whole grain grams.
• Advised a member on labeling issues with a patented new product.
• Explained the process for getting products included in WIC programs, to two members.
• Discussed information on a new product with a member, then emailed him details on a similar product we'd seen at a show.
• Translated the Stamp Usage Guide into Spanish for a member marketing heavily in Central and South America.

If there's any way we can help you with your whole grain efforts, don't hesitate to contact Cynthia Harriman (603-436-1608) or Kara Berrini (617-896-4880).

WHO'S WHO AT YOUR COMPANY?
We want to make sure that this newsletter is reaching everyone at your company who's involved with whole grain promotion. Each time we send our monthly email, we get some bouncebacks - which remind us that key personnel at WGC member companies may have changed.

Here's how you can check and update the email addresses associated with your WGC membership.
1. Click on For Members in the upper right corner of the WGC website.
2. Log in with your username and password (as you would to register a product).
3. Click on My Member Profile.
4. Select the Edit tab, then click on Profile.
5. Make any desired updates to email addresses, or any other information.
6. Click on Submit to finalize your changes.

Don't forget to update the Member Opportunities section of your Profile, too. We use this information to get our members involved in media opportunities or member-to-member business exchanges.

CONFERENCE MATERIALS ONLINE MAY 1
We design the content of our conferences as an opportunity to compile and launch a collection of new information and resources that will form the basis of WGC programs and media stories until the next major conference, a year and a half or so later.

Next week's conference is no different. We've created a wonderful 100-page binder full of updated whole grains information we'll be showcasing at the conference and repurposing afterwards in many ways. The binder will be distributed to all attendees in Alexandria, and made available to all members and to the public after the conference. Information includes:

• New data from NPD showing whole grain consumption trends 1998-2008
• Results of our recent survey of popular consumer magazines' coverage of whole grains
• Information on the price gap between whole grains and refined grains
• A detailed survey of which grocery categories offer more whole grains
• Preliminary results of our school survey, which we told you about in last month's newsletter
• And more!

We'll be posting PDFs of the binder online, along with PDFs of most conference presentations, after the conference. Look for them by May 1 on the conference page of the WGC website.

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER
We suspect everyone who's coming to next week's conference has already registered. But just in case all of the information above has made you realize you just can't miss this event, here's the link to register [this link no longer is available]. Hope we'll see you soon!

Best regards from all of us at Oldways and the Whole Grains Council,

Cindy
------------------------
Cynthia Harriman
Director of Food and Nutrition Strategies
Oldways / The Whole Grains Council
603-436-1608 direct
617-896-4820 main office